Rajasthan Assembly Chaos: 6 Congress MLAs Suspended

The Rajasthan Assembly descended into chaos on Friday following remarks made by a BJP minister, which the Congress deemed an insult to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The controversy erupted when Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot, while discussing a scheme for working women’s hostels, referred to it being named after "aapki dadi" (your grandmother), a remark seen as an indirect jibe at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The comment led to uproar in the House, with Congress MLAs demanding an apology and storming the well of the Assembly.

Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully took strong objection to the remark, questioning if the minister was referring to Indira Gandhi. He demanded that the comment be expunged from the records. As Congress MLAs began shouting slogans and marching toward the well, state Congress chief and Laxmangarh MLA Govind Singh Dotasara led the protest, demanding an apology from the minister. The situation escalated as marshals stepped in to contain the disruption while BJP legislators defended the minister’s remarks. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel maintained that the word "dadi" was not unparliamentary.

Due to the uproar, the Speaker adjourned the House three times—initially for 30 minutes, then until 2 PM, and once again until 4 PM. When proceedings resumed, government chief whip Jogeshwar Garg moved a resolution citing Congress MLAs' "unruly behavior," recommending their suspension for the remainder of the Budget session. The motion was passed by a voice vote, leading to the suspension of six Congress MLAs, including Govind Singh Dotasara, Ramkesh Meena, Amin Kagzi, Jakir Hussain, Hakim Ali, and Sanjay Kumar.

The suspended MLAs refused to leave the Assembly premises and decided to stage an overnight protest inside the well of the House. Arrangements were made for their bedding and meals.

Reacting to the suspensions, Jully accused the BJP of suppressing the Opposition. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also condemned the decision, alleging that the BJP government was diverting attention from governance failures. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel accused the Congress of repeatedly disrupting proceedings and hinted at possible further action.